Turtlestar's Destiny: Book 1

~Chapter 9: The Ceremony~

~Chapter 9: The Ceremony~

The cold winter breeze blew throgh Windclan camp, making all the cats shiver. But Turtlekit was happy enough, despite the horrid weather and what happened with Pebblepaw. She would be an apprentice in a few days, and soon afterwards, she would attend to her first gathering. That could even determine her chances in battle. Unaware of Falconkit stalking her, she kept daydreaming, looking outside at the snowflakes falling lightly onto the ground. Crash! Falconkit tackled her, pinning her down. She laughed and pushed him off, and they rolled and tumbled in a mock fight. "Just wait 'till I'm a warrior!" Falconkit breathed while landing a sot blow on Turtlekit's shoulder. "Just wait 'till I'm LEADER!" Turtlekit yelled, bopping him on the head. They burst out laughing, discontinuing the fight.

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The next day the sun shined, warming both the frozen ground and the frozen cats. Turtlekit yawned as dawn broke, and padded outside to bask in the warmth of sunshine. After a few minutes of doing nothing, she walked over to the fresh kill pile and picked out a mouse, dragging it back to the nursery. She plopped it at Goldenfur's paws, licking her mother's face. Goldenfur opened her eyes and smiled. "Thanks honey, but Meadowbreeze needs it more than I do." Meadowbreeze's kits were coming, soon. She was the top priority to the clan besides the elders because she was the weakest. Turtlekit nodded, admiring her mother's generosity. She dragged it over to Meadowbreeze, who was already awake. "Thanks, sweetie." she murmured, and Turtlekit left her to eat. Lakesong popped her head into the nursery. Her expression told Turtlekit that she carried bad news, and she beckoned Goldenfur outside. Goldenfur nodded, getting up and following Lakesong out. "If mama can hear it, so can I." Turtlekit thought, slowly walking to the wall and pressing her ear against it.

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She was just in time to hear Lakesong whisper in a hurried tone, "Spottedpelt has green cough. I thought you shoud be the first to know after Larkstar." There was a devestated gasp from Goldenfur, then the medicine cat continued, "But don't tell anyone, especially not the kits, because we don't want to alarm the clan." There was a few seconds of silence, then Goldefur's pawsteps hurried back to the nursery. Turtlekit stumbled away from the wall, settling quickly in her nest as if she had been there all along, and Goldenfur entered the nursery silently, as if nothing was wrong. Turtlekit already had enough to worry about with her upcoming apprentice-ship, but now green cough? She sighed. She needed something to take her mind off that thought.

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"All cats who can catch their own prey, please gather under high rock." Larkstar's words made Turtlekit's stomache jolt. Goldenfur was busily grooming her and her littermtaes, getting them ready for their big moment. Turtlekit watched nervously as her clanmates exited their dens and rose from the ground to all trudge over to the high rock, where Larkstar and Beepelt sat. Beepelt looked drowsy with white cough, but straigthened when Larkstar continued. "Today, three kits will go into apprentice-ship." she paused, looking down at the clan, "Falconkit, Otterkit, and Turtlekit, please come forward." "Here goes nothing." Turtlekit thought, while Goldenfur followed them out of the den. Her head felt dizzy as she knew that every single one of her clan-mates were watching and judging her. They made their way to the high rock, the clan parting so that they had room to sit before it.

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"Falconkit." Larkstar's powerful yet beautiful voice rang through the camp, "Step forward." Falconkit did so without a second thought, puffing out his chest proudly and enjoying the publicity. "Tigerstripe, you were a good mentor to Robinwing, I hope you will do the same for Falconkit." Tigerstripe moved forward, and the two touched noses. "Falconkit, you will now be known as Falconpaw." He grinned as the clan chanted his new name over and over, then he and Tigerstripe joined the crown.

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"Otterkit." Otterkit jumped at the sound of her name and scrambled forward, blushing shyly. "Beepelt." she adressed her deputy, who jumped own from high rock, landing in front of Otterkit. "You will be mentoring Otterkit. Otterkit, you will now be known as Otterpaw." They touched noses, smiling at the bond that had already started. "Otterpaw! Otterpaw!" Otterpaw felt braver with Beepelt by her side as they padded to join Falconpaw and Tigerstripe. Now only Turtlekit was left.

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She held her breath, waiting for Larkstar, looking up hopefully at her. Larkstar met her gaze for a second, then looked upwards again. "Turtlekit! Step forward." Turtlekit did so quietly. Her mind raced. Who would be her mentor? Would he or she like her? But her thoughts were interupted by Larkstar. "Hollowstep." Hollowstep! Turtlekit had seen him around. He was quiet and seemed grumpy. Not exactly her type. Hollowstep walked forward, with a slight limp from his lame paw. "You will mentor young Turtlekit. You have served long and hard to Windclan, and I hope you will pass down some of that loyalty to Turtlekit." Some of the cats shifted uncomfortably, Turtlekit wondered why, but before her mind could wander too far she had touched noses with Hollowstep and the clan chanting her name. "Turtlepaw! Turtlepaw! Turtlepaw!" She would treasure this priceless moment forever.

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